OEM delays have become patient care delays

When patient care is delayed in a hospital because something is broken, biomedical technicians would like you to understand that it's not usually their fault.

Right-to-repair advocates from the Public Interest Research Group published the results of a survey of biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs) on Thursday that found widespread frustration at the tendency for equipment manufacturers to withhold repairability information and equipment, leading to delays in fixes. 

Most of the BMETs surveyed (83 percent) said delays in receiving parts, service keys, manuals, and other necessary repair materials “somewhat frequently” or “most of the time” increased equipment downtime. The number is similarly high (70 percent) for those who said diagnostic tool restrictions "commonly" delayed prompt patient care. 

According to the study, the most common repair restrictions that BMETs encounter are OEMs' refusal to provide passwords or service keys needed to read diagnostic information, and limiting access to and overcharging for ...